Railway signal torpedo



Aug; 12 1924.

- F. DUTCHER RAILWAY S IGNAL TORPEDO Filed April 14 192 Patented Aug.12, 1924.

FRANK BUTCHER, OF MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

Application filed April 14, 1924. Serial No. 706,361.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK, Dnronnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Versailles Bore, McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsRailway Signal Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein :to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, andthe improvements herein pertain to the construction of a clip to whicharail-engaging strap is attached.

The primary object of my present invention is to construct a clip in theform of a circular disk having its edges corrugated, the said diskadapted to be held or clamped by an expanded flange of the torpedo.case.

A further object of the invention is to construct the disk-formed clipwith an annular corrugation whereby the clip is prevented from beingdistorted out of shape under compression.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of theunder side of a torpedo with my present invention applied thereto.-

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the torpedo showingthe improved clip applied to it. l

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional A view of the torpedo,showing a modified form of connecting the clip with the case.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged planview of the clip shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged plan views each showing a modification inthe clip.

In the drawings, I have shownthe clip applied to a circular torpedocase, but I desire it to be understood that broadly the shape of thecase is immaterial. Furthermore, the formation of the case is immaterialto the broad idea. It will be understood from the following descriptionthat the shape of the clip will be the same as the shape of the casewhether it be round or other shape. 7 7 Referring now to the drawings, 1designates the case, which as stated may be made in two telescopingparts as here shown, or in any otherdesired manner. In the form oftorpedo case as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the case involves a surroundingstrengthening ring 2, which is made wider or deeper than the case, toprovide the case with a depending flange. However, as will appearhereinafter, the outer part of the case may be provided itself with adepending flange, so that in the appended claims the term of a caseprovided with a depending flange is to be considered broad enough toinclude either the ring or the case itself, unless it be otherwisespecifically stated in some of the claims.

The improved clip 3 is in the form of a disk, here shown annular in planview, though it will be made of a shape to fit a terpedo case, if thecase be made in other form. The disk 3, as shown in Fig. 4,, is providedwith a plurality of projections 4.

This disk is also provided with openings 5, and .cut away portions 6 inits periphery, and the rail-engaging strap is made in two parts 7 whenin the form of a spring strap,

but if a lead strap 8 is used, it will then :be

made of a continuous piece, as shown dotted lines, Fig. 6. The form ofthe strap is not material to the present invention, since the form ofspring strap shown in Fig. .2 is made the :sn'bject matter of acopending application, Serial No. 706,358, filed April 14, 1924, and noclaims are made herein to it.

When the strengthening ring 2 is used, the clip 3, is preferably placedwithin the strengthening ring 2, and when the case is applied to thestrengthening ring, which it fits very tightly, then the projections 4of the clip are forced in the ring sulficiently to hold it theretightly.

In Fig. 8 the projections 4 are made pointed, as shown at 9 in the saidfigure, and are forced through the depending flange 10 of the outer partof the case, being clinched on the outer side of the flange. In thisconstruction, the clip serves to hold the case from separating, and thesurrounding ring may or may not be used.

In Fig. 5, the clip 3 has its periphery provided with only a fewprojections 11, and these projections may be pointed, as shown, to gothrough the case and be clinched, or the projections may be madeblunter, as in Fig. 4.

Figure 6 shows an eight sided clip, which forms points 12 that willengage the depending flange of the case, serving to clamp the clip onthe torpedo.

In Fig. 7, the clip 3 is of an eight sided shape and may have its points13 pointed as shown, to be clinched through the depending flange.

I desireit to be understood that when the projections are suflicientlypointed to pass through the flange and be clinched on the outer side,they may go through one part of the case, as shown in Fig. 3, or may gothrough the depending flange formed'by the strengthening ring 2. I I-All the clips in all the figures are provided with an annular outwardlyextending corrugation 14, the function of which is to strengthen theclip, whereby it is prevented pedo by the said flange.

A railway signal torpedo comprising a casehaving a depending flange, ofa disk shaped clip having peripheral projections adapted to be clampedby the said depending flange.

3. A railway signal torpedo comprising a case. having a dependingflange, a diskshaped clip applied to the torpedo and provided withpointed projections adapted to engage and be held by the dependingflange of the case.

4. A railway signal torpedo comprising a case having a depending flange,of a diskshaped torpedo having a plurality of sharpened projectionsadapted to penetrate the flange and be clinched, for the purposedescribed.

5. A railway signal torpedo comprising a case having a depending flange,a diskshaped clip applied to the case, said clip having throughout itsperiphery a plurality of projections engaged by the flange, said cliphaving strap receiving openings.

6. A railway signal torpedo comprising a case having a depending flange,a diskshaped clip heldto the case by means of the flange, the said cliphaving an outwardly extending annular strengthing corrugation.

7; A disk-shaped clip for torpedoes, the said disk having on itsperiphery a plurality of projections extending in the plane of disk andconstructed to receive and hold the rail-engaging strap.

8. A clip for torpedoes comprising a disk having throughout itsperiphery a plurality of projections and an annular outwardly extendingcorrugation, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

' FRANK BUTCHER.

